Swapping the Subaru for a bike for a bit... (huff3r) [Archive]

huff3r

22nd September 2009, 22:23

Hey, I'm Paul.

I normally drive a subaru legacy rs twin turbo, but i got bored of it so now its for work use only (dominos ftw!) so im back on my GN250 for the commute to uni everyday.

I also have a BMW racecar, currently sitting in the garage awaiting a heart transplant as i fried the piston rings at manfeild in the intermarques lol.

Would love to get to know some other bikers, and glean some usefull advice, particularly as im looking soon too upgrade from the GN to something a little more suited to Wellington motorways and Wellington winds.

Cheers
Paul

p.dath

22nd September 2009, 22:34

I found my experience with motorcycles made driving cars sedate. [Bigger] bikes have such immense acceleration compared to cars.

huff3r

22nd September 2009, 22:39

YellowDog

22nd September 2009, 22:41

Yep, cars go straight OK but are not really designed for cornering.

Bikes corner properly and also do the stright line thing too.

Hitcher

22nd September 2009, 22:47

bikes have such immence accerlation compared to cars.

Not to mention two fewer wheels and no spell checker.

Laxi

22nd September 2009, 23:11

Not to mention two fewer wheels and no spell checker.

we have spell check built in with kb, hicher be thy name;)

huff3r

23rd September 2009, 00:25

vindy500

23rd September 2009, 00:58

you only say that because you drive a two wheeled lawn mower lol

naphazoline

23rd September 2009, 08:11

Welcome onboard KB Paul.
Good to see you're getting into bikes,but you'll get a speeding ticket on a bike easier then a car if you upgrade to a bigger capacity.

huff3r

23rd September 2009, 09:05

Cheers, all i want in terms of bigger is something that'll do 110 uphill into a headwind lol, driving into town is damn hard in a southerly...

p.dath

23rd September 2009, 11:02

Yeah, i don't find the car sedate, its a whole different world to riding bikes. Im just sick of it for a bit, and dont want to get a speeding ticket... which no doubt i will with that car at some stage :rolleyes:

Now you know its only going to be a short while before you do want a bigger bike, especially if you like fast cars, and get that ticket anyway ...

I used to own a V8 Holden Commodore. And I was lucky enough to spend a day on the Taupo track in a race modified V8 Commodore (definitely not street legal). I am not an experienced track rider. I got the third fastest track time for the day. I also had a blat in a single seater, and got the fatest lap time for the day. This was against other amateurs like myself.

Nor am I an experienced bike rider on the track. But I can already tell you that I could blitz "myself" on my mid sized Honda CBR600 - which has no race modifications (it's stock). The bike would probably gain the most on the short straights out of corners.

I think you'll be surprised at how good bikes perform compared to their four wheel racing foes.

vindy500

23rd September 2009, 12:22

Cheers, all i want in terms of bigger is something that'll do 110 uphill into a headwind lol, driving into town is damn hard in a southerly...

get a bandit then

Gubb

23rd September 2009, 13:57

BMW E30 > all else :P

I can't tell if you're brave, or stupid.

firefighter

23rd September 2009, 14:35

I can't tell if you're brave, or stupid.

If this is'nt a troll-then stupid.

huff3r

23rd September 2009, 15:09

Troll?! Thanks... i just wanted to join a community of bikers, didnt realise i had to denounce my cars to belong?

I am actually here because i thought itd be the best place to go for advice on what sort of bike i should be looking for to replace my GN.

Looking for a:
-Cheap
-Sporty
-400 - 600cc
-Low maintanence

Sorry if i've offended anyone with my personal opinions, but thats what freedom of speech is all about :P

Ypawa

23rd September 2009, 19:13

:2thumbsup welcome aboard huff3r, theres some really good people here with ex advice, and ride safe when u do get a bike:cool:

hutchy52

23rd September 2009, 19:25

Haha, trust me... my BMW does not go ok in a straight line, in fact its rather slow. But in the corners its something else. don't get me wrong, i love bikes, but it simply does not compare to the feel of a RWD well balanced car moving through a corner. As anyone on www.bimmersport.co.nz will tell you, BMW E30 > all else :P

I guess someone from a forum dedicated to bmw's would say that but the fact remains that the cars could not compete with the fun of riding a decent bike.

mattian

23rd September 2009, 19:34

Hey, I'm Paul.

I normally drive a subaru legacy rs twin turbo

..............................:yawn:..... pardon, a what sorry?

mattian

23rd September 2009, 19:38

I also have a BMW racecar,

.......................... sounds like it might be quite fast...... for a car :yawn:

sil3nt

23rd September 2009, 19:50

Yep, cars go straight OK but are not really designed for cornering.

Bikes corner properly and also do the stright line thing too.:confused: Bikes cornering better than cars. Thats a new one.

mattian

23rd September 2009, 19:56

BASS-TREBLE

23rd September 2009, 20:02

am I missing a tone of sarcasm in your post??...... hell yes, bikes are much quicker through corners than cars because we can take the quickest line through them....... but, you do ride a bike don't you? so, you knew that already :third:

Think contact patch mate...

Laxi

23rd September 2009, 20:04

:blink::blink::blink:

tate35

23rd September 2009, 20:38

Hi Paul,

And welcome to KB! Can't say I have that much advise but do own a subaru and a gn myself :Punk:

I LOVE my gn but I guess there comes a time that you probably do want to upgrade....and I am not sure to what. I like the idea of a road/dirt bike. But then that's because I like trail riding and to me appeals more than riding on the roads with cars lol

Anyway good luck

KrazyGixxerBoy

23rd September 2009, 21:17

Hey mate. Welcome to the madness. You seen overlook the BS that goes on in here....sometimes some good advice comes through! :laugh:
Re: the bike upgrade, it really depends on what sort of a ride you're after. I personally prefer sports bikes but others prefer the upride riding position of the cruisers (like the GN). Your best bet is to keep an eye on Tardme and when something comes up you like the look of (and in your $ range) come back online and ask some Q's. Good luck mate, PM me if you have any dramas and want a hand.

huff3r

23rd September 2009, 21:31

Cheers, nice to see some sane people come out and say hi :)

As for bikes, i'm definitely after a sports, im sick of sitting upright lol...

And the BMW Racecar... not fast at all lol, its only a 2L, but i'm certainly proud of it, since i built it up myself at Tech last year.

sels1

23rd September 2009, 21:41

Welcome aboard the site.
Get around a few bike shops and have a sit on and maybe test ride a few different bikes. Some look good but may not fit you well. It's like shoes, you have to try a few on to get the right one!

MaxCannon

23rd September 2009, 21:48

How cheap is cheap ?
There are some older SV650s going for $4 - $6K on Trademe
Generally thought of as an excellent bike for new and experienced riders alike.

As for Bikes being faster than cars. you've got to compare apples with apples.
an F1 car would cream a MotoGP bike - way more braking force and lateral grip available.
Wouldn't really describe an F1 car as a car in the traditional sense though.

If we are talking road legal then modern superbikes are roughly on par with modern supercars.
I think 5th gear have done a couple of Lamborghini vs Ducati races and it a close run thing either way.
Driving an RS legacy myself I'd say it's easier to go quick in the car but more rewarding (and more fun) to do it on the bike.

huff3r

23rd September 2009, 22:01

Cheers, umm as it gos for cheap... i have nothing saved atm and am earning under $200 a week, so i was looking in the dirt-cheap $1500 -$3000 price range, hopefully i have enough mechanical skills that if i do buy a lemon i can fix it up...

I was wondering though, is it possible to repair plastic fairings using fibreglass? As i know how to use FG but definitely dont have the equipment to plastic weld (I got taught how, just dont have any gear)

browny

23rd September 2009, 22:06

hell yes, bikes are much quicker through corners than cars because we can take the quickest line through them.

i think youll find F1 cars are cars and they take pretty fast lines.went to see them at spa francochamps circuit in belgium.dont think youd keep up unless your last name is rossi or stoner.

quallman1234

24th September 2009, 10:21

Cars are much quicker thru the corners than a bike. Get over it.

Welcome too kb. Cars can be cool.

YellowDog

24th September 2009, 15:44

Cars are much quicker thru the corners than a bike. Get over it.

Welcome too kb. Cars can be cool.
I didn't mean to start a fight here.

All I said was that bikes corner properly whereas cars do not. They don't have to fight with the road and centrifugal forces overcoming negative energies to inefficiently get round a corner.

I know that some cars now have active suspension and fancy gismos, however the fact is that bikes have curved tyres and are able to lean into a corner so that the relationship with the road and its efficient use are maximised.

I realise that a high performance car with big fat low profile tyres can broadside around a corner at a far high speed than a motorcycle can. HOWEVER my point is that IMO it still would not have taken the corner properly. It would have just muscled its way round.

A motorcycle can’t do the same to such an extreme degree AND stay rubber side down.

vindy500

24th September 2009, 16:05

I didn't mean to start a fight here.

All I said was that bikes corner properly whereas cars do not. They don't have to fight with the road and centrifugal forces overcoming negative energies to inefficiently get round a corner.

I know that some cars now have active suspension and fancy gismos, however the fact is that bikes have curved tyres and are able to lean into a corner so that the relationship with the road and its efficient use are maximised.

I realise that a high performance car with big fat low profile tyres can broadside around a corner at a far high speed than a motorcycle can. HOWEVER my point is that IMO it still would not have taken the corner properly. It would have just muscled its way round.

A motorcycle can’t do the same to such an extreme degree AND stay rubber side down.

lol cars cant corner in the same way bikes can, so they cant corner properly?

mattian

24th September 2009, 16:27

i think youll find F1 cars are cars and they take pretty fast lines.went to see them at spa francochamps circuit in belgium.dont think youd keep up unless your last name is rossi or stoner.

yeah.... and its quite common to see people commuting around in formula 1 cars aye....... they always give me the learn through corners :third:

BMWST?

24th September 2009, 17:27

Yep, cars go straight OK but are not really designed for cornering.

Bikes corner properly and also do the stright line thing too.

wrong...cars will go round corners faster than bikes....

YellowDog

24th September 2009, 17:50

wrong...cars will go round corners faster than bikes....
Yes, but IMO not properly :)

Slingshot

24th September 2009, 19:50

I was wondering though, is it possible to repair plastic fairings using fibreglass? As i know how to use FG but definitely dont have the equipment to plastic weld (I got taught how, just dont have any gear)

An old soldering iron and an empty ice cream container is all ya need :)

SV650 (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Sports/auction-242293279.htm) would be a great option.
VFR400 (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Sports/auction-241748946.htm) would be another good option.

Good to see the car vs. bike debate has been sparked up again...cause it hasn't been done to death around here! :rolleyes:
Cars go round the corner faster, bikes accelerate out of it faster.
Cars and bikes both corner correctly, but the physics is different.

huff3r

24th September 2009, 20:46

Thanks, i have been keeping an eye on that VFR... looks very nice, just a little far away to test ride...

Anyone got any idea what they are like? I'm 6'3" so it sounds like i might have to be careful with smaller bikes? Although i'm only 70kgs so no weight issues :D

sil3nt

24th September 2009, 20:50

Yes, but IMO not properly :):mellow: I really fail to understand your explanation on how a car does not corner properly. There is a lot more to cornering quickly than going fast and steering through a turn. But hey this thread has gone way off topic. :jerry:

Laxi

24th September 2009, 20:58

:confused: Bikes cornering better than cars. Thats a new one.

am I missing a tone of sarcasm in your post??...... hell yes, bikes are much quicker through corners than cars because we can take the quickest line through them....... but, you do ride a bike don't you? so, you knew that already :third:

Cars are much quicker thru the corners than a bike. Get over it.

Welcome too kb. Cars can be cool.

wrong...cars will go round corners faster than bikes....

Yes, but IMO not properly :)
SHIT FIGHT!!!!!:laugh:

StoneY

24th September 2009, 21:04

Yep, cars go straight OK but are not really designed for cornering.
Bikes corner properly and also do the stright line thing too.

Umm who re-wrote the laws of physics? :doh:

Its only acceleration factors that makes a bike seem faster over a tight windy road

Modern electronically stabilized gti whatevers vs any bike less than an R1 in an experts grip = faster cornering for the cage than any normal bike under a normal rider

Was I just trolled? :laugh:

Toureg

24th September 2009, 21:13

huff3r

24th September 2009, 21:16

I have seen Giles Panizzi on the Nur passing motorcycles like they were going round the corners backwards and that was in his WRC Pug. Physics is Physics, but bikes are just way cooler and more rewarding.

That l'll agree to! Although the BMW racecar and the Subaru both get a few looks/comments compared to the GN lol, hence the need for replacement ;)

Laxi

24th September 2009, 21:21

That l'll agree to! Although the BMW racecar and the Subaru both get a few looks/comments compared to the GN lol, hence the need for replacement ;)

don't know mate, I've heard a few comments made at passing gn s :laugh: would be fairer to compare corolla or somthing, i.e comuter car versus comuter bike :niceone:

koba

24th September 2009, 21:39

Welcome.
Look for local rides as summer gets closer.
Also note there is a big event at Manfeild this weekend, worth a look.
Sunday would be the better pick of days to watch.

cc rider

25th September 2009, 10:10

:stupid:
we have spell check built in with kb, hicher be thy name;)....you meant to leave out the t right :whistle:
:laugh:

Welcome Paul

Cheshire Cat

25th September 2009, 10:14

Hi Paul!!:jerry:

huff3r

6th October 2009, 09:05

Thanx for all the "hi"s :P, unfortunately it seems a new bike has to wait :(

The cage (subaru) needs new tyres, and as its my only source of income... has to come first..

But still keen to meet some other bikers, and go for some rides on the little GN :D

huff3r

12th October 2009, 17:24

Aaargh, chain on the GN is stuffed... missing half a link... is it normal for this to happen? Anyone have any ideas what itd cost to get a new one fitted, and wether itd be safe to ride it into Welly in order to do this? (approx 30kms)

vindy500

12th October 2009, 17:26